


Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice

by TheDarkFlygon



Category: Code Lyoko
Genre: Christmas Decorations, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Gift Fic, Older Characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-24 15:34:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21960268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDarkFlygon/pseuds/TheDarkFlygon
Summary: Aelita experiences something new a few days before Christmas while on a date.
Relationships: Aelita Schaeffer/Ulrich Stern
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice

**Author's Note:**

> _Joyeux Noël._
> 
> This was written for my Code Lyoko Secret Santa giftee, @angelofapathe! It was my first time actually writing for CL, so this was a bit special to say the least. I got fueled by my French-ass blood to write something about a growing French custom of these Christmas markets. Also, while Ulrich/Aelita isn’t something I personally ship, it was still really fun to do. Happy Christmas pal!

Getting there had taken quite a while, but a fact was clear: the bright lights, sweet scents, human warmth and shiny present options made the subway troubles to getting here worth it. They may have almost gotten lost in the flow of people taking public transportations, the apparently countless lines and stations lying underground, and after exiting their final stop, yet she minded nothing of this effort: this was like the dream she wouldn’t have dared having. Truly, a fantasy she didn’t know she had fostered for quite a long time…

This was the first time Aelita saw something like this, so different from anything she had seen yet: the school, Lyoko, her father’s cottage; nothing was quite like that. Granted, she had never seen Paris to begin with, or didn’t remember ever being there at the very least, so her enthusiasm was off the roof and flowing in the night, winter sky. The numerous colours almost blinded her at first, compared to the streetlights they had seen until there.

“H-hey,” her boyfriend’s voice suddenly spoke much louder than usual, “don’t go too fast! You’ll get lost!”

With a slightly mischievous, but mostly purely happy, smile, she turned around to face him, scratching the back of his head with his available fingers, the blush on his face barely noticeable in the dancing flashes of light around them.

“Then we’ll just have to hold hands with more strength!”

He sighed before showing her a little smirk, “I suppose that’s a decent way to go around with it…”

Truth be told, she had barely been able to contain her excitement for this date ever since Ulrich had proposed the idea for it. Aelita had only brought the topic of the Parisian Christmas market after she had heard of it at school from girls discussing going there with friends and got curious. Quick Internet searches for it had only made her want to see it for her own two eyes even more. Staying a decade in a virtual limbo had prevented her from living the simple joys of their world and it was about time she was profiting from hanging with her boyfriend in a sparkly, joyful place like a lot of other boys and girls her age admiring the little shops surrounding them.

Originally, she had planned on bringing everyone along, but the idea of spending some time with just her boyfriend had spoken to her. Spending more time with him, especially in such a charming environment, was more than welcome and she had accepted without thinking twice about it. Her eyes were sparkling, her heart was beating vividly, following along to the rhythm of Christmas music played all around the market. She didn’t quite know where to look, when they were walking along the alleys: which little shop, which presents to give (and internally thinking of what to get for who, while making sure to keep her budget in mind), which happy face near her own.

It was like living a dream’s child, even if she was now a teenager. She wasn’t above simple fun.

Aelita eventually came across a hut-shaped shop (not unlike most of the shops there: it was part of the tradition, or so she had been told) serving hot chocolate. The bitter cold starting to bite, she wasn’t against drinking something to warm the both of them up while they continued exploring the place. There was too much to see to go back inside just because the winter atmosphere around them happened not to be warm enough!

She immediately put out her wallet, hoping she had enough money left on her, when Ulrich put his hand on her shoulder. That was only now she was noticing their hands had untied, explaining why he looked so alert, before smiling at her.

“Don’t bother, I’m gonna pay for us.” (He then looked at the seller before she could even add anything). “Two hot chocolates please, sir.”

The man smiled at him, then at her, before giving his prices and getting their money.

“On a date, are we?” He asked.

She felt her cheeks catch on fire. Aelita and Ulrich stared at each other, both with their faces coloured in red, struggling for a way to answer. That was unexpected to say the least. The man laughs at their confusion, grinning.

“Hey, you youngsters are livin’ ya best life, go for it! Here are your chocolates, have a nice evening, and don’t forget to have fun!”

They both replied with thanks at the same time, making them blush again, before she waved the man goodbye. With a steaming hot cup in her hand, she slipped the other in her boyfriend’s hand, resuming her sightseeing session.

The air was filled with human warmth and the sweet, sugary smell of various treats. The huts all sold different things, some she had no idea even existed, others she had only heard about (such as warm wine, which sounded disgusting until Ulrich explained to her they added spices to them… according to his parents, at least). The deeper they got into the market, the more mesmerized she’d get, sometimes stopping in the middle of the flow of people just to admire the contents of some of the little shops. The distant Christmas lights of her almost-forgotten childhood were coming back, only a thousand times brighter.

People probably looked at her in funny ways before of how childish her current attitude towards everything must have seemed to their eyes. Truth be told, Aelita cared very little about unknown persons’ opinions, right that moment: she was having the time of her life in a bright, colourful place filled with marvels she had never seen before with someone very close to her. She couldn’t have asked for more, and she didn’t dare ask for anything more in fear of everything good disappearing yet again.

Before she could fully settle for a more solemn mood, her eyes settle on the shiny reflects of silverware decorations. A pink gem cast in a bright silver-like metal spiral caught her eye, almost silently calling to her. It’d look great in her room, so her hands immediately went to the wallet right as her feet landed in front of the hut. The price tag showed twelve euros, so she searched for the right amount of money… only to notice she didn’t have the cash needed on her. Ah, what a bummer…

“Hey, what’s wrong? You need some help, Aelita?”

Ulrich had his hand on her shoulder, prompting her to turn around. He seemed concerned with seeing her worried.

“W-well… It’s nothing big, but I don’t have the money to buy this,” (she then pointed the item with her finger). “It’s okay, I’ll just gather some more cash and come back another time…”

Before she could add anything, she watched him get his wallet out, count something in it, and hand a twenty euro bill to the seller.

“You really don’t have to!”

All Ulrich did in response to this was to smile to her and hand her the little box containing “her” purchase. She really didn’t know what to say aside from a big thank you. To say that all she offered in return was a tight hug… He’d tell her it was all okay and that it was on his, that he was happy to pay for her.

When she got the piece out of its box, the gesture only made it shine brighter.

“I’ll have to pay you back one of these days…” She told him as she sighed.

“Don’t stress it. Anything for my princess.”

As soon as he said that, they both stared at each other, dumbfounded, silent and suddenly immobile. She could see his face take on a crimson hue and, to be fair, she was certain she was heading this way too.

“I-I mean,” he stuttered, scratching his head as their walk resumed its course, “I really don’t mind paying it for you! You seemed to really want it! Plus, it’s only fifteen bucks, it’s not a big deal at all!”

All she did was to giggle, both from her embarrassment and how endearing he was getting.

“I like it!”

He stared at her for a little bit, blinking.

“What, the mobile?”

“No, the nickname!”

She giggled again.

“Y-you do?!”

“Of course I do! Would I lie to you about it?

“I didn’t mean that! I just… thought you’d find it embarrassing, y’know!”

She picked his hand in hers yet again.

“We should head home, no? It’s starting to get late…”

He looked at his phone.

“Oh, yeah, you’re right. Let’s get back to the school before Jim makes an example outta us…”

They walked in a comfortable silence as she took in the last bits of the warm colours and scents. She’d come back… she just knew she would. This place was too mesmerizing to only experience once.

“Thank you so much again, Ulrich, for bringing me here. It’s all I’ve ever hoped it to be!”

“That’s nothing. It was a lot of fun going there with you.”

“We’ll come back one day, right?”

“Oh, absolutely. Why wouldn’t we?”

“…dumb question, I know!”

And Aelita sipped on what was left of her cup of chocolate, thinking of the mobile in her bag and the fingers enlaced within hers. The best life had to offer indeed…


End file.
